The Truth About My Job: Principals

Do school administrators have summers off? Christy Kutz, principal at San Carlos Park Elementary School, explains.

By Melanie Pagan

Christy Kutz

THE MYTH: Principals have summers off since school is not in session.

THE TRUTH: Just because kids get a summer break doesn’t mean administrators do. In fact, “it’s actually one of our busiest times of the year,” says Christy Kutz, principal at San Carlos Park Elementary School. There’s plenty of hiring and recruiting, academic planning and construction projects to take care of in the off time. “We can’t do things like put on a new roof or replace carpeting when students are in the building,” she says, “so those are all projects that happen over summer.

“We work a year-round contract, no different from any other business person,” Kutz says. But there is one major change when school’s out, she concedes. “It’s lonely in the building without all the kids. We go from being a very vibrant workplace to a very quiet workplace.”